South Africa’s Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister, Marthinus van Scalkwyk, on Monday dismissed appeals lodged against the construction of Eskom’s new Witbank coal-fired power station, Project Bravo.Two appeals had been lodged against the proposed 5 400-MW power station, which formed part of Eskom’s plans to boost generation capacity as the country ran into a serious supply shortfall. 

The appeals related to the impact of ash dump, air impact on a nearby poultry farm, socioeconomic impacts and water quality.The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (Deat) said in a statement that the plant, which formed part of Eskom’s plans to boost generation capacity as the country was currently experiencing a serious supply shortfall, would be fitted with the “most advanced” air pollution abatement equipment ever installed at a South African power station.

“The equipment will result in a minimum of 90% of the sulphur dioxide being removed from the emissions. The equipment will also reduce dust emissions from the power station to be in line with international emission standards,” the department stated.

The Deat said that this equipment was expensive to install and operate but that Eskom had made the commitment to ensure that the air quality impacts from this new plant did not result in a deterioration of the air quality in the region.

Eskom would install flue-gas desulphurisation, which involved the scrubbing of sulphur dioxide (SO2) gas with a sorbent (limestone) to limit the emissions of sulphur dioxide to the atmosphere.

The process also removed the majority of the dust from the emissions.

“This is the first time that Eskom will be installing control technology that will address SO2 emissions. Traditionally Eskom have only been regulated in their dust emissions,” it said.

Project Bravo also fell in the recently declared Highveld Priority Area, and, as such, was subject to detailed scrutiny in terms of air quality impacts. The Deat has embarked on a detailed air quality management planning process to tackle poor air quality in the region, with the ultimate objective of ensuring that the air quality in the area does not exceed health-based standards.

The record of decision to build the new power station also required carbon capture readiness, the department said. Eskom would, therefore, be required to submit to the State authorities a report detailing the preferred technology, for approval, before proceeding with construction. This would then allow the Deat to assess whether or not the technology was appropriate and allow it to do the necessary research to ensure that the appropriate measures (site layout, ducting etc.) were taken into account during the construction phase.

By: Engineering News